To think that all of the work he put in during those offseasons, summers and in the weight room translated in a Division I offer meant everything to him. Last week, the Bears became the first program to offer the thin but intriguing defensive end.

"It was surprising,'' Roberts said. "Personally, I didn't think I was as good as everybody thought I was. You just focus on your flaws more. But Baylor was the first big school to offer me. I just started crying. I'm not going to lie. It was emotional for me.''

Roberts (6-6, 200) may be his own worst critic, but the Nacogdoches coaching staff sure doesn't think that. Tapes have been sent to LSU, Texas, Oklahoma and Houston. In fact, Oklahoma and Texas have sent assistant coaches to personally take a look.

The Baylor connection goes back to head coach Bobby Reyes and Bennett having a relationship spanning several decades. Reyes was at Richardson Pearce in the mid-2000s when Bennett was SMU's head coach

"Coach Bennett told me that what caught him on the tape that he liked my first step, thinks I'm relentless and that I have a lot of potential,'' Roberts said. "I know I'm probably going to get redshirted. But they're going to make you eat when you get to the football program. I don't have a problem with that.''

Roberts is going to be a three-year starter for the Dragons. He played defensive tackle in 2011 before switching to end last fall. Given his frame, he presented the illusion of teams playing him straight up.

In the first game, that turned out to be a bad idea. Robert collected about 15 tackles.After that, he saw mostly double teams.Although he hasn't made it up to Waco yet, Roberts will find a way to get there. He can't be there for the April 6 spring game because of the Nike camp.

"I pick up on things quickly,'' he said. "I still need to work on my feet and my strength, of course. That's why I'm going to that camp and why I went to the Rivals camp in Houston [March 16]. The coach I was working with there really helped me. He told that I needed to keep working and that someone was going to offer. Guess he was right.''